photophile - ohm imagehttp://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/Mon, 10 Dec 2018 07:42:21 +0000en-GBSite-Server v6.0.0-16734-16734 (http://www.squarespace.com)Ω image reviews, commentary, and how-to&#39;s, on the state of photophile <br/>nation.Review: YONGNUO Macro Lens YN60mm F2 MFlensesmacroreviewohmMon, 10 Dec 2018 08:37:18 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/review-yongnuo-macro-lens-yn60mm-f2-mf502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5c0e18dd70a6ad7e8a49b97bWhilst penning a review of my favourite semi wide-angle medium format lens,
I realised that I’d not updated my experience with Yongnuo’s 60mm F/2 Macro
EF lens. The short of it is that in a few areas: contrast, sharpness,
colour aberrations, and general mechanics among them, it is good. But its
misses are big; one in particular is a show stopper.

Disclamer: Yongnuo kindly sent the lens seen in this article and in my YouTube video of the same title for the purposes of these reviews as well as other articles. The YN60mm F2 goes to 1:1, bears fantastic colour contrast and beautiful bokeh. It goes for about 350$ USD. It has a number of harsh provisos, however. For more information about it, hit up Yongnuo’s page: YONGNUO Macro Lens YN60mm F2 MF.

NOTE: Only select images from the YouTube review are shown in this article. All images are uploaded to this album at Flickr.

Whilst penning a review of my favourite semi wide-angle medium format lens, I realised that I’d not updated my experience with Yongnuo’s 60mm F/2 Macro EF lens. The short of it is that in a few areas: contrast, sharpness, colour aberrations, and general mechanics among them, it is good. But its misses are big; one in particular is a show stopper.

The YN60mm is F/2 solid. Its metal barrel, and chunky, grippy, focus ring, feel great. The lens attaches solidly to a camera or high-quality adapter and clicks surely into place. If you’ve got the proper support, the 60/2’s combination of highly rigid body and heavily damped helicoid ensures that even at harsh angles, its focus won’t budge. Unfortunately - and despite being a macro lens -, the YN60mm’s focus throw is just 180º. While only ten or so of those degrees cover the range from infinity to one metre, the final 170º feels meagre next to other helical-based macro lenses, Zeiss’s Milvus, for instance, which turn almost 360º from infinity to 1:2. 180º doesn’t allow enough headroom for fine focus tuning at high magnifications.

Utilising native electronic EF calls, the YN60mm automatically stops down aperture prior to taking exposure. This ensures the brightest image for focus focus, and, depending on the taking aperture, a step-less and hands-free transition to sharp output. Typically I use enlarging barrel lenses and/or medium format board-mounted shutter lenses when constructing advertising images. These require manual opening and closing of the aperture blades for focus and exposure. If not careful, a small bump could throw the focus system off by a several millimetres, rendering a single exposure or a focus stack useless.

The internal focus system has pluses and minuses. At infinity and up to 1:2 magnification, the front element collapses way into the lens barrel. This seriously shields the front glass from oblique light, which, in turn, helps to suppress flare. That said, when hit by direct light, the YN60mm shows severe flare donuts whether shooting wide open or stopped down. Worse, its barrel heavily occludes/shades images shot at distances greater than 3 metres. Depending on the light, the corners turn either white or black. As a result, this lens is useless for landscape, architecture, and most portraiture. There is no way to fix it in post.

Taking camera: Leica SL (35mm sensor)

On the positive side, the YN60mm’s rigid body ensures that you will never extend the front element into an object whilst focusing toward it. Conversely, because the front element presses farther forward as magnification increases, its susceptibility to flare and other stray light induced aberrations increases in proportion to magnification. While a screw-in 67mm filter thread-mounting hood can help, the real problem is internal.

At highest magnification, the Yongnuo 60mm F/2,0 is generally sharp and contrasty. Sure, top-tier macro lenses are just as sharp or sharper wide open as this lens is stopped way down, but most top-tier macro lenses are F/4 at brightest. My best macro lens’s widest aperture is F/5,6. Focusing it beyond 1:2 magnification is seriously taxing on a Fujifilm GFX-50s, whose processor slows to a slide show. The SL retains excellent speed and detail all the way up to 3:1 magnification.

Contrary to many dedicated and high-end macro lenses, this Yongnuo is sharper stopped down than it is wide open. I reckon that F/5,6 is its sharpest aperture for high magnification photography. Because it isn’t that sharp wide open, F/2 is more of a focus-aid than anything else.

The Yongnuo YN60mm F2 Macro is more than capable of creating fantastic, high-magnification images ready for print and advertisement in the highest end boutique.

Inside or outside, the YN60mm is easier to use on a Leica SL than a Fujifilm GFX-50s. The reason is simple: the GFX’s finder slows to a virtual slide show under high magnifications, and even in the bright sun, it will stutter. The SL’s EVF and LCD are silky smooth in most light, and most importantly, even at high magnifications. It is also a lot clearer. When magnified to 100%, regardless the acuity of the output image, the GFX image feed is grainy and soft. Unfortunately, my automated stacker doesn’t come with an SL release. As as result, the stacked studio comparisons in this review were shot on the GFX. Despite being built for 35mm cameras, at macro distances, the YN60mm lights up the GFX sensor pretty well. When shot against a dark backdrop, any corner shading induced by the lens’s smaller image circle is up for moot.

Taking camera: Leica SL (35mm sensor)

Taking camera: Leica SL (35mm sensor)

Taking camera: Leica SL (35mm sensor)

But its bokeh is to die for. Smooth, free of swirlies, and composed of some of the smoothest sharp-to-soft gradients I’ve ever seen. Add to that lovely colour and contrast, and you would have yourself a great portrait lens- if only its barrel didn’t shade the image so much.

Taking camera: Leica SL (35mm sensor)

Prior to using this lens, I’d not encountered a single macro lens which showed significant barrel distortion at any magnification. Here, too, the YN60 surprised me, though not pleasantly. Scenes are pressed inward toward the centre, and are obvious even through the viewfinder or LCD. It can be corrected, but it shouldn’t have to be. If you do any of the following: material measuring, copy work, architectural photography, product advertising, or polygonal object lessons, skip this lens.

If all you need is a decently sharp, bright, and contrasty lens for play or for work that delivers good enough performance in at macro distances, the YN60mm F/2 recommends itself well at 349$ USD. Up close it even covers a GFX sensor well. And, thanks to its bright F/2 aperture, it makes framing and focusing at high magnifications a breeze. Unfortunately, flare, corner shading, and distortion wreck it for the careful sort of work that is my bread and butter. Yongnuo would do well to at install this lens’s glass into a non-internally focusing body.

]]>Review: YONGNUO Macro Lens YN60mm F2 MFFood, and a thought - Yumoto KobayashicommentaryohmMon, 14 May 2018 07:46:00 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/food-and-a-thought-yumoto-kobayashi502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5af9385e2b6a28d75240bc81These photos were taken at Yumoto Kobayashi with a Leica M10.
My first commercial photography paycheque came from taking snap shots of
sake. My last photography paycheque came from stuff eaten whilst sipping
sake. Something good in the tummy is transient, but a good stuffing isn't
soon forgotten.

These photos were taken at Yumoto Kobayashi with a Leica M10.

My first commercial photography paycheque came from taking snap shots of sake. My last photography paycheque came from stuff eaten whilst sipping sake. Something good in the tummy is transient, but a good stuffing isn't soon forgotten.

Prior to joining the staff, Yumoto Kobayashi's head chef headed up an upscale French restaurant. Now he weaves French cuisine through the heady flavours of Kyushu.

By all means, check out Yumoto Kobashi. Plans aren't outlandish, and the onsen is silky smooth and piping hot.

+81 09 4373 7820‬

湯元小林〒839-1225 福岡県久留米市田主丸町菅原2251番地2TEL:0943-73-7820 / FAX:0943-73-7821

]]>Food, and a thought - Yumoto KobayashiFujifilm X-H1 VS Leica SL PT 1 - basic handlingcamerasohmFri, 23 Mar 2018 05:36:29 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/fujifilm-x-h1-vs-leica-sl-pt-1-basic-handling502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5ab490f0758d46d6fb457367Last week I published the first part of my Fujifilm X-H1 VS Leica SL
review, but forgot to publish it to ohm. PT is devoted to basic handling
and my amateur speaking/editing skills. This series will focus on basics of
haptics and handling; other channels will cover things typically on the
minds of camera nerds.
Many thanks for watching.

Last week I published the first part of my Fujifilm X-H1 VS Leica SL review, but forgot to publish it to ohm. PT is devoted to basic handling and my amateur speaking/editing skills. This series will focus on basics of haptics and handling; other channels will cover things typically on the minds of camera nerds.

Many thanks for watching.

]]>Fujifilm X-H1 VS Leica SL PT 1 - basic handlingCP+ 2018 Bravado: or why your next camera will be a SonycamerasohmMon, 19 Mar 2018 08:41:24 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/cp-2018-bravado-your-next-camera-will-be-sony502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5aaf6b368a922d6d3cf4fe2fGood advertising is focused and accurate. It eschews flourish for clarity
and demonstrates a product's or service's unique capabilities.
With a single exception, CP+2018’s mirrorless camera booths were the
opposite. In bold typography and with pretty models, they postured style,
and lacked substance, or, ineptly, they revealed the weaknesses of the
products they demonstrated.

Disclaimer: I do not own a Sony camera. Neither do I own Sony Stock. At this point, however, it would be stupid to dismiss the truth of the grand narrative: that Sony will be your - and my - next camera.

Good advertising is focused and accurate. It eschews flourish for clarity and demonstrates a product's or service's unique capabilities.

With a single exception, CP+2018’s mirrorless camera booths were the opposite. In bold typography and with pretty models, they postured style, and lacked substance, or, ineptly, they revealed the weaknesses of the products they demonstrated.

Fujifilm’s booth was tone deaf. The X-H1’s much ballyhooed autofocus engine was demonstrated by lazily swaying models and a drooping floral arrangement. Attendees resorted to ad-hoc pageantry: asking colleagues to jump around, ratcheting various and sundry gadgets in and out on extended arms for the camera to follow; or panning to approximate movement on the stage. The edge of the demonstration area was poorly lit, and all such tests failed to demonstrate what the X-H1 could actually do. (By the way, I own an X-H1. I've written briefly about it here, and here have published the first video of a series comparing it and the Leica SL.)

That crowds at most booths were paltry sort of saved the day.

The single exception - Sony’s booth - was a sweaty mess. Queues were vicious. People pushed and cut queue. A long dais twinkled with sparkly Sony gear, arrayed like a touch and try was actually hands-off. For whatever reason, it wasn’t even roped off, and eager attendees from all corners of CP+2018 were shamed by James Bond lookalikes. Don't touch!

Don't make it so easy, or so tempting to touch!

The rest of the Sony ghetto was well designed. Sandwiched between a raised long-lens demo platform and the keynote arena, was a space rougly six metres by seven metres. As many A7IIIs and a variety of lenses - some as long as 70-200 - lined the left side of the booth. The opposite and outer edges demonstrated the same lenses on bodies ranging from the A9 to the A7RIII. Within its bounds sweated basketball scrimmagers, hip-hop dancers, runway models, slack liners, and modern dancers- each in ten-minute rotations.

After waiting forty-five minutes I got slotted into the corner, behind an A7III and 70-200 F/4. I had five minutes to test the combination. Fast-twirling dancers sweated just metres away. The Sony rep was quick to explain that the programmable button on the side of the lens called eye-focus. What a cracking utilitarian design that is! Just want the face? Don't depress the button. Want the nearest eye in focus? Press the button. It worked so well that even weeks later, I think about it.

What still sucks, and has always sucked, is the mechanical shutter. It's been five years and still the shutter loud and clacky. I denounce the A7R's in 2013. And the A7III's is still ridiculous. And, the A7III's body, inherited from the A7II, is terribly cramped. It bristles enough buttons to overwhelm a much larger camera. And, there’s no way anyone with normal-sized fingers will comfortably use it with gloves. Frankly, it’s a miracle of idiocy that Sony have stuck with the same body since 2014. It’s a greater miracle that the A9, which is aimed at a different market and use-case scenario, is strapped to the same body.

Form over function aside, the A7III is gold. It’s been years since I shot a 70-200 lens, and years more since I did sports and stage photography. But the A7III nails it. Point it at what you want to shoot and watch it nail focus again and again under adverse circumstances and lighting. Punch its lens-mounted custom button for eye-focus and it nails with uncanny regularity irises and pupils and eyelashes, its misses easily catalogued by improper shutter speeds. Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic fans alike: nearly everyone who demoed the camera shot, chimped, and grinned.

Sony demonstrated in tens of thousands of shutter clicks what no marketing slug, promise, or pretty smile could. Putting the A7III into the hands of thousands of conference-goers and aiming the lot at diverse subject matter, all of it moving and active, allowed the camera the space to sell itself.

Sony’s booth was unlike anything else. It nailed what it needed to and pandered only to demonstrable use-case scenarios and the demands they present to the system. Sony proved without a doubt mirrorless autofocus is in their bag. The fruit of their labour will be a drove of new customers, many of whom will be swayed by reports by attendees, and large media.

Had they relied on pretty: sultry models, unique sculptures; or - God forbid! - hobby trainsets, journalists and fans from around the globe would have left with nothing but advertising promises and bromides.

Instead, they wowed the world. And, your next camera will be a Sony.

]]>CP+ 2018 Bravado: or why your next camera will be a SonyEnter: Fujifilm X-H1camerasohmWed, 07 Mar 2018 08:39:21 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/2018/3/7/enter-fujifilm-x-h1502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5a9f9e530d9297a0046eb3b6A month ago I ordered the X-H1. It arrived at my office just as I was off
to CP+ 2018. It is a fine camera at an interesting price. In my opinion, it
is far easier to hold and to use than the X-T series, the 1 which
previously I owned and which helped push me into the world of Leica. And,
it certainly feels better in the hand than a Sony A7iii.

A month ago I ordered the X-H1. It arrived at my office just as I was off to CP+ 2018. It is a fine camera at an interesting price. In my opinion, it is far easier to hold and to use than the X-T series, the 1 which previously I owned and which helped push me into the world of Leica. And, it certainly feels better in the hand than a Sony A7iii.

It is light, fairly well-made, and, as any Fujifilm X-Series owner will tell you, buttressed by great glass. But as regards simple, direct, and repeatable interfaces go, it is my strong opinion that the Leica SL is miles ahead.

What pains me about the SL is how behind it is on accessories, flashes , service, support, and sales points. The SL is far and away my favourite all-digital camera, but using it requires bigger, and harder balls, than using an X-H1- and this despite obviously superior build and interface quality.

What I love about the X-H1 is its new grip, its brilliant e-ink shoulder display, its OLED EVF, and in-body stabilisation. Its shutter is better damped than the X-T2's, clipping closed with a serious, but quiet low-pitched clunk. Beautiful. Whether Fujifilm yet realise it or not, the X-H1 will be a turn point the X Series around a new fulcrum, the dSLR-cum-mirrorless camera. This genre appeals to users like me that prefer an action-oriented camera to have a sloped shutter trigger, finger-balanceable grip, and top-mounted display. Likewise, it repulses users whose primary interest is knobs, dials, and hails to so-called traditional controls. That the X-H1 melds these two worlds in a single camera behind a familiar and well-developed mount, is key.

Its sales will turn the X Series, either toward or away from its dSLR-like design.

A YouTube video showing key ergonomic, haptic, and build quality differences between the Leica SL and the Fujifilm X-H1 is in the works. In the meantime, please feel free to check out my other videos.

A question I'm often asked - what is your favourite 50mm lens? - is tough to answer. In terms of aesthetics, Voigtländer's 50mm 1,5 Nokton ASPH is hard to beat. And while its handling isn't great, it is also built damn well. Its colour, bokeh, and overall draw are ridiculously good. It retails for around 1000$ USD.

Canon's classic L-mount 50mm 1:1,4 is often called the Japanese Summilux. As well it should be- it has wonderful colour, similar coatings, and an optical makeup that's not far from Leica's classic. It also has great bokeh, though, like the Voightlander, pincushions here and there. It can be found online and in classic camera shops anywhere from 150$ to 400$. At either end it is worth it.

But my favourite fast 50mm lens Leica's classic, pre-ASPH Summilux, preferably in M rather than L mount. Pictured above is the L-mount version in the newer pre-ASPH barrel. After taking it to Disneyland on a Sony A7r I became a convert. I love its cooler colour, smooth, but characteristic bokeh, its fall off, and its total sharpness. It and the Voigtländer aren't that far apart, but where the Nokton pincushions, the Leica remains smooth. Because it is long out of production, and because a rising number of people prefer non-ASPH lenses, its price has skyrocketed. In 2014, it went for about 1600$. Now it can fetch as much as 4000$ at eBay.

If you find one in good repair under or around 2000$ run, jump, and swim for it. It will keep its value.

]]>Three fast fifties - Canon, Leica, VoigtländerZeiss Makro Planar 2/100 - end of an eralensesohmSun, 25 Feb 2018 06:37:48 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/zeiss-makro-planar-2/100-end-of-an-era502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5a92572f9140b7427f213790I loved the pre-Milvus version of this lens, but when I sold my D800 I had
no place to use it. It did't work on my M240, it didn't work on my
Fujifilm X-T1- a fact the Leica SL and Novoflex's active EOS/SL adapter
changed.

I loved the pre-Milvus version of this lens, but when I sold my D800 I had no place to use it. It did't work on my M240, it didn't work on my Fujifilm X-T1- a fact the Leica SL and Novoflex's active EOS/SL adapter changed.

And, sucker as I was for new, I picked up the Milvus version. It and the SL were made for each other. The union's perfection is partially skin deep. Both share similar anodising: smooth and semi reflective. Both are perfectly engraved. And both lack a few ergonomic polishes. The Makro Planar's helicoids are rouger than the previous classic ZE version. The SL's bottom angles can dig into the hip.

But what a combination. Thanks to great contrast and wide-open focus with automatic stop down (a la Novoflex active EOS/SL adapter) the combination work as well as they do on a Canon camera.

The above image was one of the last I took via the Novoflex BALPRO T/S and Hasselblad CVF-50/c digital back. Just weeks later, the Fujifilm GFX-50s and Cambo Actus GFX took their place. Au revoir.

]]>Zeiss Makro Planar 2/100 - end of an eraFujifilm GFX-50s - versatile profilecamerasohmThu, 22 Feb 2018 14:03:53 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/fujifilm-gfx-50s-versatile-profile502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5a8ecbc00d92971dab62b11cThe biggest money-makers in my studio are the GFX-50s, and the Schneider
APO Makro 120mm F/5,6 Digital. Because the combination - in between which a
Cambo Actus GFX and Cognisys StackShot 3x are sandwhich - is far from
pretty, the Schneider must wait for its day in the sun.

The biggest money-makers in my studio are the GFX-50s, and the Schneider APO Makro 120mm F/5,6 Digital. Because the combination - in between which a Cambo Actus GFX and Cognisys StackShot 3x are sandwhich - is far from pretty, the Schneider must wait for its day in the sun.

The GFX is slower to use at high magnifications than the Leica SL, harder to focus, and louder, but its output files are worth the hassle. (Incidentally, the above image was captured by the SL.)

Compared to my previous setup, in which I had to focus via ground glass, it is a real time saver.

]]>Fujifilm GFX-50s - versatile profileFujifilm GF 63mm F/2,8: The prettiest lens I don't uselensesohmTue, 20 Feb 2018 19:14:52 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/fujifilm-gf-63mm-f/28-the-prettiest-lens-i-dont-use502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5a8c703c0d9297c58dc210bdSoon after the GFX-50s was announced I sold my Hasselblad CFV-50c and
Linhof M679cs. And, under the assumption that I'd use it like my favourite
50mm lens, I purchased the 63mm F/2,8 GF lens.
Reviews for it are good. It is light, easy to use, and despite making
F150-like noises when focusing, keeps to itself. I hope to use it someday.
Until then, I'll use it as a prop, or advertising for my portfolio.
For this image:
Taking camera: Fujifilm GFX-50s
Taking lens: Sinaron Digital 100/4 enlargment lens (Composit showdown -
YouTube)
Focusing system: Cambo Actus GFX (more on this technical camera here)

Soon after the GFX-50s was announced I sold my Hasselblad CFV-50c and Linhof M679cs. And, under the assumption that I'd use it like my favourite 50mm lens, I purchased the 63mm F/2,8 GF lens.

Reviews for it are good. It is light, easy to use, and despite making F150-like noises when focusing, keeps to itself. I hope to use it someday. Until then, I'll use it as a prop, or advertising for my portfolio.

Cognisys's automated macro and other products have been in the back of my mind since late 2016. Recently extreme macro (up to 6x) photography has become more and more important for my work. As a result, I've had to invest in automation- or a friend put it, letting the robots do my work.

After watching the above video, by all means click on the below link to find out more about the Cognisys StackShot 3X extended and the stable, repeatable world of automated macro photography.

]]>Unboxing Cognisys's StackShot 3X Extended (and example)ohmage to the Voigtlander Nokton 40mm F/1,2 AsphericallensesreviewohmWed, 10 Jan 2018 08:17:44 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/review-voigtlander-nokton-40mm-f/12-aspherical502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5a55c4ca71c10bb8b0506dabI wasn’t a 40mm guy on 26 November when my VM 40mm/F1,2 copy came in. After
capturing about a thousand images of my daughter, a few of my wife, and
about a dozen bokeh frames of our beloved IKEA Christmas tree, I’m ready to
say that I’m still not a 40mm guy- at least not on a Leica M.

Disclaimer: I picked my copy up from a local online retailer in Japan. This review is unaffiliated with anyone but my own bad attitude.

I wasn’t a 40mm guy on 26 November when my VM 40mm/F1,2 copy came in. After capturing about a thousand images of my daughter, a few of my wife, and about a dozen bokeh frames of our beloved IKEA Christmas tree, I’m ready to say that I’m still not a 40mm guy- at least not on a Leica M.

Not shooting

It’s not a focus issue. I can focus a 50mm F/1,4 wide open no problems, and as far as I can figure, 40mm at F/1,2 works similar depth of focus to a 50mm F/1,5. And it’s not necessarily a bulk issue. The Summicron 90 is larger. So is the Voigtlander Nokton 50. It is partly the looks. Rangefinder lenses need to look like rangefinder lenses. It’s why Fujifilm’s XF 35/1,4, an obvious SLR look-alike, looks awful on the X-Pro. I’m unabashed to say Voigtlander’s latest M-mount 40mm lens isn't attractive.

The focus ring twists smoothly down to its closest focus of 0,5m, or 20cm beyond the M’s rangefinder coupling. The M’s coupling arm nudges the focus cam softly at about 0,6m, and couples for focus at 0,7m. Every Voigtlander VM lens I’ve used returns laser-accurate focus at its indicated distance. Even at minimum focus close, nailing soft-detailed subjects such as pebbly baby toes is easy as pie. Smooth as it twists, focus is weighty, as is the lens. Weighty but perfectly lubed, and completely free of play. Small adjustments slide rather than jerk into place along the the ring’s full travel of ~160º.

Masterful ergonomics or no, I’m not convinced. The reasons are simple: I rely on framelines. The Nokton 1,2 brings up 50 and 75 lines, and shoots well outside the former. Notice that I didn’t say that I relied on accurate framelines. I’m less a fool than I evince. Through no lens do I rely 100% on framelines. I won’t even lean on even Voigtlander’s devastatingly good classic 35mm F/1,7. I rely on a gentle inaccuracy.

Going with the 50/75 frames was probably a good idea. It leaves room for error. You’ll never accidentally or violently crop out a subject or setting.

The Nokton doesn’t nose down the prodigious SL, though it does the M. Because the M-SL adapter lacks a distance arm, focus is smooth from 0,5m to infinity. It’s a hella nice combination, if not an ultimately handsome couple. The problem isn’t insurmountable. But the SL’s ultra-modern, minimalist party is somewhat crashed by a lens that really wants to be mounted to a K1000.

Before I unmask some uglies, let’s wag on about what this lens nails. Even at F/1,2 it is centrally sharp, contrasty, and depending on where in the frame and what sort of genesis, out-of-focus (OOF) elements blend smoothly, with softly gradated edges, and generally attractive fall off. Typically wide-open frames focused within 3 metres show nervous-ish OOF details to the sides and corners very like classic Canon 35mm LTM favourites like the 35/2 and 35/1,5. As the Canon 35/2 LTM is my all-time favourite 35mm, this is a personal and discriminating triumph. Sparsely populated backgrounds aren’t as busy as the Canon, which is great when closing in on fall colours. But the Canon’s viney bokeh was really what pulled me in. Naturally, my taste for OOF structure rather than soft blur is idiosyncratic. Move back a bit, however, and inverted triangles spring to life. If you like that sort of thing, great. I’m torn.

Nokton tones are earthy, and warm, trending brown and red when enticed. This I dig. And again, I dug this in my Canon LTMs, too. My favourite Leica is the Summilux-M 50 pre ASPH, whose tones are bluer and cooler.

Generous and characteristic shading wide open goes well with the earthy tones and minorly busy bokeh. To a point, the Nokton is a classic-ish lens. Wide open sharpness is shocking, though not as bitingly so as the Nokton 35mm F/1,7. Both create brilliantly clear sun stars, and, while the 40mm flares more, flare is soft-edged, big, but as it goes goes, non-distracting next to fast classic lenses.

My daughter

I’m ambivalent about aspherical lenses. I like their contrast and size advantages, but I dislike what they do to point lights in out-of-focus scenes such as the below Christmas tree. I grew up in a part of the north where only onions grow. I love onions- on my plate. I don’t like them in my bokeh.

Overall, I like the 40mm F/1,2, but I don’t love it. It really pops in the centre, and to a degree that certain other lenses do not. It’s got a bit of the classic magic that made the Canon 35/1,5 a classic, but it does so with modern optics. It’s a good lens. Whether or not you like its draw is up to you.

Voigtlander’s latest handles well, looks okay, is sharp, and passes a lot of light to your M or other camera. Its smooth focus and clicky, cleanly frictioned, and coupled aperture blades starkly contrast the plastic-feeling options from Fujifilm, and poppy classics from Nikon. Leica’s Summilux-M 50mm ASPH is damped better but here and there plays. Nicer-handling lenses are found few and far between.

But nicer drawing lenses are plentiful. Perhaps I’m too much sour grapes about the Nokton’s onion rings. Personally they’re big road blocks on the otherwise smooth road of enjoyment. If you’re not put off by them and mildly classic if energetic draw style, the Nokton 40mm F/1,2 does the trick.

]]>ohmage to the Voigtlander Nokton 40mm F/1,2 AsphericalLeica M10 extremely short wish listcamerasohmWed, 18 Jan 2017 06:43:32 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/leica-m10-extreme-short-wishlist502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:587f0c4315d5db6db4c311c0There are but a handful of hours before the Leica M10 will be announced in
Wetzlar. Leica Rumors have kept a tabs on what we know about the camera and
what we can only guess.

Photo credit: FCC filing, via Leica Rumors

There are but a handful of hours before the Leica M10 will be announced in Wetzlar. Leica Rumors have kept a tabs on what we know about the camera and what we can only guess.

While unlikely, the one thing that I wish for is an adjustable dual-stage rangefinder adjustment mechanism which can be easily accessed with a lens is attached to the camera. Flip the camera into live view, focus the lens to infinity, adjust for it, then focus it to close focus, and adjust a separate mechanism for it.

My M240 has gone whack only once. Thankfully, I live near Tokyo, which houses one of three Leica-approved rangefinder measurement devices. I waited 1,5 hours and paid about 3.000 yen. If I still lived in Canada, my camera would have to go back to Germany with a guarantee of being away for months.

Keep an eye out at Leica Rumors for up-to-date information.

]]>Leica M10 extremely short wish listohm image's studio camerascamerasohmWed, 11 Jan 2017 09:08:44 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/ohm-images-studio-cameras502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5875eadb03596ec731d92b87Frequently I am asked what cameras/lenses I use to photograph amps, DACs,
earphones, speakers, jewellery, etcetera. The short answer is: something
with geared focus and flexible bellows. The long answer is: because I have
gone from Horseman to Rollei to Novoflex to Fujifilm to Linhof, and
seemingly back to Rollei, why not check with me next year?

Frequently I am asked what cameras/lenses I use to photograph amps, DACs, earphones, speakers, jewellery, etcetera. The short answer is: something with geared focus and flexible bellows. The long answer is: because I have gone from Horseman to Rollei to Novoflex to Fujifilm to Linhof, and seemingly back to Rollei, why not check with me next year?

The logic behind the above arrangement is extension: versatility to the left. The Linhof provides the stablest platform, the most macro extension, and the best movements. And while the Novoflex moves the least, its focus is the smoothest. The X-ACT 2 is sort of an odd duck. Without adjustment, its focus gears jump. Its frame amplifies studio and focus vibrations. Yaw plagues its movements. Sounds bad, right? Because both of its standards can simultaneously be lowered, raised, and shifted, it is the most useful for normal magnification macro tabletop photography.

It and the BALPRO T/S use the same lens and back adapters and both cameras can adapt almost any lens out there, whether SLR, M39, or large format. The BALPRO T/S is the only camera to which you can go from a 120mm macro lens to a 35mm wide angle without first changing bellows and/or the front standard. Of course, it won't get as close to a subject as the M679cs or X-ACT 2, but rarely do I need enlargements beyond what the BALPRO T/S is capable of with a 120mm lens.

Here are a few more images:

Max extension for each camera (important for macro photography)

Minimum extension for each camera and standard bellows (important for wide angle photography)

Before purchasing the Linhof M679cs, I briefly used the Fujifilm GX680 III. The Fuji is a fine camera with great lenses. But it isn't well-adapted for macro. Its lenses go soft at high magnifications. And even with its mirror locked up, it jumps between shots. Finally, its focus gears and plastic rail teeth return sometimes-jittery results.

I re-purchased the X-ACT 2 last week. I keep coming back to it because of its brilliant finder system. It is Rollei's technical 6000-system camera, meaning it can use most if not all 6000 finder accessories, the waste-level finder with 3x loupe and electronic shutters being my favourites.

The Linhof requires a dark cloth and hand-held loupe, and as a result, is far slower to operate. Using it with electronic shutters and wide-angle lenses is also more difficult. The BALPRO T/S is compact, light, and sturdy. It and the X-ACT 2 are compatible with most of the same accessories, which is great. What isn't is that you can't rise its front standard without tipping the camera on its side and mussing stability. And I use front rise in about 90% of my table-top work.

Early last fall, I purchased the above Leica SL from fotopia. Gilbert, Fotopia's mano on toppo, took careful enough charge of my order that I'll be back when he has a free Leica M10, Elmarit 28 ASPH II, and a spare Novoflex ASTAT-CN collar. Many thanks, fotopia.

Event photography is secondary to stills and commercial work. As such, I've invested little time and effort into selecting a perfect setup. Until last fall, I used a Leica M (Typ 240) with a backup, and two lenses, a 28 Elmarit ASPH, and a Tele-Elmarit (thin) 90mm along with whatever high-powered Canon or Nikon flash I had on hand.

Today, the M is my backup to the SL, in lieu of a pair of light primes is the large, autofocus monstrosity pictured above. 24mm to 90mm is the perfect range for embassy events and economic conferences.

ohmage: design, haptics, operation, software

God, does the SL feel good in the hand. I can balance the entire camera, and any lens, adapted or not from a single hooked finger on the grip. The SL's stretchy strap keeps the weight off the shoulders. The battery, which can only be inserted one way, and the ON/OFF switch, whose positions for both [up for ON, down for OFF] follow everyday logic, stand against the hasty designs seen in the competition.

All frequently used camera settings are easily, and quickly accessed via long presses of the four back buttons, and/or by rotating the control dials. For me, those settings are: ISO, WB, aperture, shutter speed, and focus modes. Quickly tapping the same buttons cycles through a cleverly ordered menu.

Despite obvious Leicaflex SL2 trappings, the SL is strictly and unapologetically digital. But it is digital design distilled to its simplest, to the most useful. You can navigate almost any on-screen option with your finger, or in any combination of it, the focus nipple, and the rear exposure dial. Nothing is limited by stubborn, nostalgic appeals to the past.

My only complaint is the AF-ON nipple, which is too perky. It bears the right navigational and focus controls and is perfectly located. But accidentally nudging it whilst long-pressing for tracking, or on-the-fly focus adjustment, is a bit too easy. It is my opinion that a flat top would be better. It should protrude about 2mm less,, and depress farther to activate. In light of the SL's many design wins, this is a minor quibble.

A cleaner, starker, more bauhaus autofocus digital camera does not exist. The SL's clean lines are deceptive. Pros and enthusiasts used to Nikon, Canon, and Fujifilm, might wonder how you can get anything done on the SL without major menu diving, and why there aren't 30 buttons. You can, and the SL proves you don't need 30 buttons to get the job done.

Nearly every commonly used function, from metering to exposure and on, is immediately available fromo a single button press. Because there are so few buttons anywhere, it is extremely hard to accidentally change a setting. Contrast this with the Sony A7r whose easy-set buttons litter the back and top, practically begging for accidental operation. Then there are Fujifilm's anachronistic X camera series, whose main draws are appeals to nostalgia. But four years on, it is still impossible to use the exposure speed dial to select every shutter speed. For both third-stops and electronic shutter speeds, you must use break from the shutter speed wheel and access a dSLR-like unlabelled exposure dial. The X100T only just fixed a similar problem with aperture settings.

Like Leica's M cameras, the SL creates DNG RAW files,

TL;DR:

Leica thought and thought this camera out.

porridge: autofocus

I purchased the SL with the hope of keeping up with my daughter. When she was eight months old, it could. But she is now a blazing crawler and the SL simply can't keep up unless she isn't on the prowl.

The SL's single-point AF-S is as quick, accurate, and repeatable. It is on par with a high-end non-sports dSLR from 2012. It is as fast as any mirrorless camera I have used. But the SL can't track for a damn. Which, owing to it looking the part, is a bloody shame.

Ineffectual AF-C tracking along the z-axis shame the SL's well-designed AF-ON nipple and its solid shutter button whose positions of off, half-press, and full press, are obvious. If the scene goes dark, or crowds a bit, SL's autofocus defaults to wobbly toddles to and from anything and everything. It is a pitiful, and meaningful reminder that CDAF, as good as it can be for single-focus, is outclassed by PDAF sensors.

This needs to change.

porridge: EVF

Despite boasting one of, if not the most advanced EVF out there, the SL's EVF is a disappointment. It reminds me of why I like OVFs, which rely on your brain to make sense of changing light, contrast ratios, and distance markers. EVFs fail precisely because they cannot reliably imitate the eye/brain relationship. They auto-gain from dark to light, stutter in low light, amp signals, delay updates, and constantly shift WB and exposure. None of it is natural. All of it erects an interpretive wall between the photographer and what his or her eyes naturally see.

I understand the benefits of WYSIWYG displays. I get that this is where the market is going.

Unfortunately, that market can't yet address frame rate induced vertigo. And because EVFs and the processors behind them are slaved to processors, sensors, and myriad other technological hard stops, they never will. In order to appreciate an EVF, you must first divorce yourself from the natural view of the world.

That said, the SL's is the best EVF I've used. It isn't as clear or as bright as an OVF. Nor is it as immediately useful for the quick-latch catch focusing of manual lenses. And while its small pixels only minimally impact image clarity, what you see isn't anywhere as clear, contrasty, or vivid as what your eye sees through the same lens. But it is far clearer than what I've used in any of the competition.

ohmage explained

In 2016, my SL almost paid for itself. I expect the same this year. Despite getting so much right, I won't purchase a second SL. Mirrorless is great - to a point. The SL is designed. It is not mish-mashed together and ordered under appeals to technology or appeals to the past. It is easy to use, wonderful to handle, and solid. It is part of a slowly-growing whose long-reaching zooms, robust bodies, and utility-oriented design make it easy for the photographer to work in his or her own way.

Its EVF is good, but not great, and its tracking and continuous autofocus systems need serious work. The latter is behind some of the mirrorless competition by about a year. But in general, the SL feels and works great.

The 70-200mm VR II was at its worst at 135mm, and the new lens just mops the floor with it in the middle of the zoom range. It’s not just hugely sharper in the center; it’s sharper 2/3 of the way to the edge of the image than the old one was in the center. Now I know a LOT of people use their 70-200mm lens just as a 200mm lens, but honestly, if you ever visit the middle of the zoom range, you will notice this difference. It’s night and day.

]]>Lens Rentals: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED AF-S VR MTF TestsSinaron VS Schneider - 1:2 and beyond, the macro advantagelensesohmTue, 22 Nov 2016 13:08:57 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/sinaron-vs-schneider-12-and-beyond-the-macro-advantage502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:58343d9c4402438b45f311f2Sharper and more contrasty at high magnifications, well-designed macro
lenses rock the close-up. Or, at least that’s the typical apologetic. For
the most part, it is true. The closer you get to, and the more you magnify
a subject, the better corrected the optic has to be for macro work.

Sharper and more contrasty at high magnifications, well-designed macro lenses rock the close-up. Or, at least that’s the typical apologetic. For the most part, it is true. The closer you get to, and the more you magnify a subject, the better corrected the optic has to be for macro work.

I use two lenses in my commercial work: Sinaron digital 80/4 enlarging lens (in LTM mount), and the Sinaron digital macro 70º 1:5,6 f=120. The latter I use because it covers 4x5 large format whilst maintaining sharpness and contrast near that of a good macro lens designed for 35mm cameras. The former I use because in its native LTM mount, it is fast, accurate, and returns eminently repeatable results. It is also about as sharp as the 120mm.

Being a geek, I’ve got another favourite 120, the Schneider - KREUZNACH Symmar-S 5,6/120 MC, which, dating the Sinaron, is, at normal distances, contrasty, and nearly as sharp. Closing the shooting distance and raising the reproduction ratio to anything beyond 1:5, reveal its weaknesses. Interestingly, almost every enlarging lens I have used keeps pace with typical macro lenses. The below stacked examples were taken at 1:2 magnifications.

The below stacked examples were taken at 1:1 magnifications.

NOTE: In each of the above images images on the left were taken by the Sinaron, images on the right taken by the Schneider.

In a pinch a normal-magnification lens can perform. This is especially true if your macro lens isn’t optimised to take beyond 1:1, in which case, a normal lens may perform beyond that. I expect that a number of clients would be happy with the results from the Schneider. In general, however, non-macro lenses in high-magnification advertising photography may disadvantage the photographer. This is because they are less contrasty and sharp at high magnifications. Unfortunately, both of the above lenses must be mounted in #0 shutters, the mechanical versions of which are no longer manufactured, and the electronic of which, are unwieldy and insanely expensive. My studio uses press shutters in size #0 and #1, the latter of which I now dedicate to enlarger lenses, which I later will throw into comparative mixes.

]]>Sinaron VS Schneider - 1:2 and beyond, the macro advantageFriday Fook: On Turning Pro - Editing and lightingcommentaryohmFri, 11 Nov 2016 13:36:02 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/friday-fook-editing-and-lighting502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:5825c1cbe6f2e10b8b62df48A professional photographer who only shoots in natural light is kind of
like a professional chef who cooks exclusively with a microwave. There are
two distinct things that photographers use to get out of the microwave
trench: editing and lighting.

Editor's note: Fook writes whatever he wants, when he wants. You can find all of his here: Fook's ohm image articles. Also note that ohm believes that lighting is first in importance, editing last.

So in the past year, people have been asking me: “Fook, you’ve been spending quite a bit of money into photography, are you going to turn pro?” Honestly, I have thought about it for a while now, and here are some of the reasons why I believe I am not ready to turn pro.

A professional photographer who only shoots in natural light is kind of like a professional chef who cooks exclusively with a microwave. There are two distinct things that photographers use to get out of the microwave trench: editing and lighting.

Editing is a good way to make your photos great. If a photographer is able to use proper editing, colours can be added, light can be emphasized in certain areas, irritating objects can be removed, etc. This will properly improve the results that photographers get. Sure, some fields of photography actually bar their photographers from editing their shots (news photojournalists in particular), but every so often, a photojournalist gets caught in the act. This photojournalist immediately turns into an art photographer, which in marketing terms is called pivoting (looking at you Steve McCurry).

The fact of the matter is, editing is extremely important in the photography world. While I feel like many modern photographers get by with a pre-programmed filter, proper knowledge of how to even out lighting and remove artefacts are very important.

Lighting is the other ridiculously important aspect of photography. Without flattering light, people tend to look just horrible. On-camera flash is quite possibly the worst way to take a photograph with light. While certain photographers have made this style iconic by calling it “edgy” (American apparel look, gross), it really just screams low-calibre. Lighting is versatile, allowing shoots to continue in inclement weather. Even when natural light falls evenly, subjects can look boring without a dose of additional light. Learning how to light and how light affects the photograph is truly important. I reviewed some images from a friend’s wedding. It was absolutely appalling that the photographer basically just applied a filter on all the shots. Artefacts stayed put, lighting was uneven, and misfocused shots were included in the album. But hey, you get what you pay for, right?

I don’t believe in being a bargain basement photographer, so I will never do this.

The above image is a quick snapshot I took of Astell&Kern's brilliant AKT8iE earphone. (Review here.) I whipped it out of the box, wiped it, snapped it to the perspex, and fired up the SL. I noticed that the Leica M240's AWB nails flash settings, too.

]]>Google Pixel sample photosFriday Fook: On Turning Pro - Client engagementcommentaryFookFri, 30 Sep 2016 13:26:58 +0000http://ohm-image.net/opinion/photophile/friday-fook-turning-pro-client-engagement502d756fe4b0ad2559801b56:518647e2e4b07f4d551a4b7b:57ee5c0c440243e527d491fbSo in the past year, people have been asking me: “Fook, you’ve been
spending quite a bit of money into photography, are you going to turn pro?”
Honestly, I have thought about it for a while now, and here are some of the
reasons why I believe I am not ready to turn pro.

So in the past year, people have been asking me: “Fook, you’ve been spending quite a bit of money into photography, are you going to turn pro?” Honestly, I have thought about it for a while now, and here are some of the reasons why I believe I am not ready to turn pro.

Client engagements split between pre-sale and post sale activity. Many older photographers focus their activity on post sale engagement, while many of the younger generation focus their activity on pre sales engagement. Social media avenues: Facebook, Instagram, etc., offer nice and simple platforms with low barriers to entry. Almost any professional can show off their work to a G•I•G•A•N•T•I•C audience. #ing is a godsend to people wishing to show off their wares to everyone, everywhere. Photographers wanting to show their work to the right people need only apply the right (the more the merrier) hashtags and their photographs pop up in relevant channels. The larger that channel's audience, the greater chance a photographer's photo has of being noticed by potential clients.

Simplicity (keeping a single subject) and style are important. @multifolds, a wedding photography outfit on Instagram, nails simplicity. Often, @multifolds's portfolio is simple, shot in front of an epic background. But he also adds slice-of-life photos from time to time. These engage personally with fans and potential clients. As a result, people can relate to @multifolds, or any photographer willing to make the connection and show off their skills in other marketable photographic genres. Street photographers like Eric Kim use YouTube to demonstrate their knowledge and passion. They engage with clients in a very personal way.

As part of the younger generation I believe that pre sale activity is more important than its post sale counterpart. Good post sale activity is very important. Correctly managing, framing, selecting, and creating images that meet the subject and stylistic needs of the client is that it is all about.

Finally, we have communication. I happen to have no problem engaging with people and orchestrating pre and post sale activity, I imagine that I'd have issues creating a certain style, and strictly adhering to client requests. I can imagine that being a big problem, especially as I am not a famous professional with a large client base.

Of course, that's just another reason I believe I am not ready to turn pro.